Mendes Yandri Invites NGOs And Journalists To Report Village Heads Misappropriating Village Funds

Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions (Mendes PDT) Yandri Susanto in an audience with NGO representatives and journalists in Jakarta, Monday (3/2/2025). ANTARA/Tri Meilani Ameliya.

JAKARTA - Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions (Mendes PDT) Yandri Susanto invites all parties, both NGOs, journalists, and the public, to report village heads suspected of misappropriating Village Funds.

"If the dilapidated village head, who misappropriates the funds, report it. Don't be protected," said Mendes Yandri in an audience with NGO representatives and journalists at the PDT Kemendes Office Meeting Room, Jakarta, Antara, Monday, February 3.

This meeting was to clarify the statement regarding the alleged extortion by NGOs and bodrek journalists against the village head.

He then said that he appreciated those who dared to report village heads who misappropriated Village Funds or worked badly, especially reports made by NGOs.

"The NGO is good if it reports it. I appreciate it. Including journalists, write as it is," said Mendes.

This was conveyed by the Minister of Villages as well as to respond to the cons against the video clip containing the statement of the former Deputy Chairperson of the MPR RI regarding the example of alleged extortion of village heads by NGOs and fake journalists or bodrek.

Some NGO representatives and journalists attending the hearing expressed disappointment at Mendes' statement for not using the word "person" in the statement.

"The Minister's permission, if delivered by an individual, we will definitely accept it, the support is the Minister," said the General Chair of the Anti-Drug Alliance and the Budget Corruption Act (Ketum Antarctica) Koordinator of representatives of NGOs and journalists at the hearing.

Meanwhile, Mendes Yandri straightened that the statement he made was used to reveal what really happened in the village, namely the presence of journalists and NGOs who blackmailed the village head.

He also emphasized that the NGOs and bodrek journalists he was referring to in the video clip circulating on social media were those who disturbed the village head, not the entire NGO and journalists.

The video clips that reaped various comments, especially comments from a number of journalists, came from the live broadcast of the Socialization of the Minister of Village Regulation (Permendes) Number 2 of 2024 concerning Operational Guidelines for the Focus of Using Village Funds in 2025 for the Java region which was broadcast on the YouTube channel of the Ministry of Villages PDT on Friday (31/1).

On this occasion, Mendes Yandri responded to Taufan Zakaria's presentation as the Coordinator at the Deputy Attorney General for Intelligence (Jamintel) of the Attorney General's Office (AGO) which alluded to the Village Guard application. The application was presented by the AGO to accelerate the response to various legal problems that occurred in the village or involved the village head.

At that moment, Mendes Yandri then revealed that one of the problems faced by the village head at this time was the alleged extortion by NGOs and bodrek journalists. Mendes then asked the AGO and the National Police to follow up on all reports and findings regarding such cases.